Comments on: Royalist propaganda and policy nonsense

By: Reg Varney

Reg Varney — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 05:48:45 +0000

I recently read a report, apparently based on a website account (can’t find it now). That report claims that the 2008 government commitment to the royal family/palace is Baht 6,032,097,400. This does not include royal projects and other royal expenditures in the parts of the budget kept closed. There is also some question as to whether the 6 billion total captures everything in the Budget Bureau reports. Does anyone know more about this taxpayer support of the sufficiency royals?

By: Reg Varney

Reg Varney — Sat, 17 May 2008 02:36:11 +0000

On “bribery” or donations to the King, read Handley. He tries to explain the system at work. Actually, based on TV reports, it seems to be Prathep who is the face of the monarchy receiving most of these donations now.

By: sueksit nanhuay

sueksit nanhuay — Fri, 16 May 2008 00:54:57 +0000

Now there are news reports about the Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office Jakrapop Penkae having made speeches abroad referring to things unpleasant about the monarchy. Can anyone get hold of these texts and make them available? Many thanks.

By: Surang Saitip

Surang Saitip — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 01:12:00 +0000

My only point is: this is the all-reaching, universal system of bribery in Thailand. It’s so widespread that a lot of Thai people take it for granted and look upon it quite admiringly! Actually, this is the very origin of bribery. No wonder corruption can never be done away with in the normal stream of Thai life.

By: Land of Snarls

Land of Snarls — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 14:41:25 +0000

Thank you Chris Baker!

By: chris baker

chris baker — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 12:41:59 +0000

Vichai Raksriaksorn, chairman of King Power, presented the money to the king on 7 February 2008. A picture of the event appeared on p. 20 of Matichon daily (Prachachuen section) on 21 February. The amount was 900 million baht. This was not a donation by Vichai or King Power, but the proceeds of a charity fund-raising scheme which Vichai and King Power helped to organize – selling plastic wristbands and related material with royal insignia.

On the Forbes 2007 list, Vichai ranked 21st among Thais with a fortune of US$ 205 million (about 6.5 billion baht).

His history is pretty obscure, and I’d welcome any info from anyone who knows more than this:

He had his first duty free (DF) venture in Hong Kong airport in the 1980s. He could not break the ring at Don Muang (run by Sombun Rahong), but opened the in-town DF store at Ploenchit in 1989. He also started DF shops in Cambodia, China, and Macao. By 1995 he managed to get round Rahong, make connections in the air force and AAT, and opened a shop in Don Muang in 1995. ACM Phinit Saraithong is now on King Power board. In 2006, he got an exclusive 10-year deal to run DF and retail at Suvarnabhumi.

He likes polo. He goes to UK and plays with Princes Charles and William. He recently bought 384 rai from the Chan Issara family near the airport. On this he is building a polo field, 9-hole golf course, and forty-nine 2-rai housing plots.

He is developing a 31 rai plot in Soi Rang-ngam (near Victory Monument) with an office building for his group, a DF mall, and the Pullman King Power hotel. The land is leased from the Crown Property Bureau.

Anyone know anything more? What’s his background? What’s the HK connection? Is he another split family like Sophonphanich, Asvabhokin, etc ? Who were his key contacts in the air force?

By: Land of Snarls

Land of Snarls — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:07:53 +0000

Somsak & Teth, thanks for that very useful info.

Do you know where the event was publicised ? In the light of the dispute between AOT & KingPower (see links in my #50), it’s quite significant. A reference would make it kosher.

By: Teth

Teth — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 15:44:04 +0000

Snarls, the phrase “spend at his pleasure” is generally used in the television or news report whenever somebody gives money to the royals.

Its true #48 is not verified but it sounds extremely real. These things happen all the time and money is given to “spend at your pleasure” on television even. I’ve personally watch many an 8 o’clock news piece about somebody giving something to the royals. King Power, as with thousands of other firms, probably have done it.

By: Somsak Jeamteerasakul

Somsak Jeamteerasakul — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 12:13:12 +0000

re. #48 You give no attribution. Surang Saitip, where does this information come from? Is ‘ “spend at his pleasure” ‘ a quote? Who said it?

Your post doesn’t have any credibility if you don’t give a reference that can be checked.

Actually, as I understand it, the phrase “spend at his pleasure” is one of the two standard phrases used nowsaday when someone presents money to HM the King. The phrase is a translation of “ให้ทรงใช้สอยตามพระราชอัธยาศัย” (hai-song-chai-soy-tam-phra-rat-cha-at-tha-ya-sai) literally “for His Majesty to use in any which way he wants” but “spend at his pleasure” is perfectly acceptable.

The other phrase, more “specified”, is “โดยเสด็จพระราชกุศลตามพระราชอัธยาศัย” (doei-sa-det-phra-rat-cha-ku-sol-tam-phra-rat-cha-at-tha-ya-sai) or literally “for HM’s charity work whichever one HM wants”.

By: Land of Snarls

Land of Snarls — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 12:08:58 +0000

re. #48 You give no attribution. Surang Saitip, where does this information come from? Is ‘ “spend at his pleasure” ‘ a quote? Who said it?

Your post doesn’t have any credibility if you don’t give a reference that can be checked.